Pedestrian and Bicycle Accident in Las Vegas: Your Rights and Compensation

Call 911 or ask someone nearby to call immediately. If you are a pedestrian or cyclist who has been struck by a vehicle, stay still if you suspect a spinal injury — movement can worsen spinal cord damage. Tell the dispatcher your location, that you are a pedestrian or cyclist hit by a vehicle, and the severity of your injuries.

If the driver who hit you tries to leave, try to note their license plate, vehicle description, and direction of travel. Ask witnesses to help track this information. Hit-and-run pedestrian crashes are disturbingly common in Las Vegas — drivers sometimes flee to avoid DUI arrest or because they are uninsured.

LVMPD responds to pedestrian and bicycle crashes within city limits. Call (702) 828-3111 for non-emergencies. LVMPD has a dedicated Fatal Detail unit that investigates all pedestrian and cyclist fatalities. For crashes in Henderson, Henderson PD responds. North Las Vegas PD covers North Las Vegas.

If you are physically able, or if someone can help you, photograph the scene. Key evidence includes: the vehicle that hit you (damage to the hood, windshield, bumper — showing impact height and severity), the exact location where you were struck (crosswalk, intersection, mid-block, sidewalk, bike lane), traffic signals and their current phase, any crosswalk markings or lack thereof, and your injuries.

Photograph your bicycle if you are a cyclist — the damage pattern helps reconstruct the crash. Note whether you were wearing a helmet (Nevada does not require adult cyclists to wear helmets, but it affects the damages analysis for head injuries). Photograph the road layout, including whether there is a bike lane, sidewalk, pedestrian crossing signal, or marked crosswalk.

Get witness names and contact information. Pedestrian and bicycle crashes on the Strip or near casinos often have many witnesses — tourists, hotel employees, other pedestrians. Surveillance cameras from casinos, businesses, and RTC traffic cameras may have captured the crash. Note every camera you see.

Pedestrian and bicycle crash injuries are almost always more severe than car-on-car collisions. A 4,000-pound vehicle striking an unprotected human body produces catastrophic injuries even at moderate speeds. Common pedestrian injuries include traumatic brain injuries (TBI), skull fractures, spinal cord injuries, pelvic fractures, femur fractures, tibial plateau fractures, internal organ damage, and road rash. Cyclists face similar injuries plus handlebar abdominal injuries and shoulder dislocations.

University Medical Center (UMC) is Nevada's only Level I trauma center and handles the most critical pedestrian crash injuries. Sunrise Hospital is a Level II trauma center. Do not refuse ambulance transport — pedestrian crash injuries are frequently underestimated at the scene due to adrenaline.

The first medical record after the crash links your injuries to the collision. Tell the doctor exactly how the crash happened — that you were struck by a vehicle while walking or cycling. Describe every symptom, including dizziness, headache, confusion, numbness, and any area of pain. Follow all treatment recommendations. Traumatic brain injuries from pedestrian crashes often require extended monitoring and rehabilitation.

Pedestrian right-of-way: Under NRS 484B.287, drivers must yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks and at intersections with no marked crosswalk (implied crosswalk). Pedestrians must obey traffic control signals (NRS 484B.287). Pedestrians must not suddenly leave a curb and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close it is impossible for the driver to yield (NRS 484B.287(2)).

Driver duties: Under NRS 484B.283, every driver must exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian and must give an audible signal when necessary. This due care standard applies even if the pedestrian is jaywalking or crossing against the signal. Drivers must always attempt to avoid hitting pedestrians.

Bicycle laws: Cyclists have the same rights and duties as vehicle operators (NRS 484B.763). Cyclists must ride as close to the right side of the roadway as practicable, except when turning left, passing, avoiding hazards, or when the lane is too narrow to share (NRS 484B.763). Drivers must give cyclists at least 3 feet of clearance when passing (NRS 484B.270). Las Vegas has a growing network of bike lanes, particularly in Downtown and Summerlin, but coverage remains limited on many high-speed arterials.

Nevada's modified comparative negligence rule (NRS 41.141) applies to pedestrian and bicycle crashes. If you were jaywalking, crossing against a signal, walking in the roadway outside a crosswalk, or cycling without lights at night, the defense will argue you share fault. Your compensation is reduced by your fault percentage, and if you are 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing.

However, even if you were jaywalking, the driver still had a duty of due care under NRS 484B.283. If the driver was speeding, distracted, or impaired, they bear significant fault regardless of your actions. Insurance companies frequently try to blame pedestrians and cyclists for their own injuries — do not accept this without fighting back.

Comparative negligence in pedestrian cases is highly fact-dependent. A pedestrian jaywalking on a dark road at 2 AM may bear more fault than a pedestrian jaywalking at a well-lit intersection during the day. The driver's speed, attention, BAC, and ability to see and avoid the pedestrian all factor into the analysis.

If a driver hit you, their auto liability insurance covers your damages. Nevada's minimum of $25,000 per person (NRS 485.185) is almost always insufficient for serious pedestrian injuries — a single surgery can exceed that amount. If the driver is underinsured, your own auto insurance UIM coverage may apply, even though you were on foot or on a bicycle.

If the driver is uninsured (10-12% of Nevada drivers), your own UM coverage applies. Even as a pedestrian or cyclist, your auto insurance policy's UM/UIM coverage can protect you. If you do not own a car and have no auto insurance, you may be covered under a household member's policy.

If the driver fled (hit-and-run), your UM coverage treats the situation as an uninsured motorist claim. Pedestrian hit-and-runs are common in Las Vegas, particularly at night. Your UM policy is your primary safety net. Medical payments coverage (MedPay) on your auto policy can also help cover immediate medical costs regardless of fault.

Many pedestrian and bicycle crashes in Las Vegas are caused or worsened by dangerous road design — missing crosswalks, inadequate lighting, lack of pedestrian signals, no bike lanes, and high-speed roads through pedestrian-heavy areas. If a road design defect contributed to your crash, the city, county, or state may share liability.

Clark County, the City of Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and NDOT are all responsible for different road segments. Filing a claim against a government entity in Nevada requires compliance with NRS 41.036 — you must file a written notice of claim before suing, and the 2-year statute of limitations applies. Government entities may assert sovereign immunity defenses, but Nevada has waived immunity for negligence in maintaining roads (NRS 41.032).

Common road design failures that contribute to pedestrian crashes include: high-speed roads (45-50 mph) through areas with heavy pedestrian traffic, intersections without pedestrian signals or marked crosswalks, inadequate street lighting, and failure to install traffic calming measures in known pedestrian danger zones.

Being hit by a car while walking or cycling is a life-changing event. The injuries are severe, recovery is long, and the medical bills can be overwhelming. Take our free 2-minute assessment at /assessment/ to understand your rights, including driver liability, insurance coverage, government liability for dangerous road design, and your potential claim value.

Las Vegas's pedestrian safety record is one of the worst in the nation, and victims deserve full compensation. Start with the assessment and connect with a Las Vegas personal injury attorney who handles pedestrian and bicycle crash cases.